Cheng You had a valid point, and this was precisely the place where reasoning mattered. Yang Shucai was handling the matter.
Shen Tong not only summoned Zhang Fuqiang but also brought in the elder Mrs. Zhang and several eyewitnesses for questioning.
Zhang Fuqiang was initially unaware of what was happening, but upon seeing his mother's guilty expression, he knew something was wrong.
"Mom, what's going on?"
The elder Mrs. Zhang lowered her head, no longer speaking. She was beginning to realize she might have caused trouble, and it was all due to her words.
Cheng You and Qi Chengyan stood aside, as calm as monks in meditation, saying nothing.
Shen Tong then recounted the words spoken by the elder Mrs. Zhang.
As Zhang Fuqiang listened, his face grew darker.
When he picked up his mother from the train station that day, he had coincidentally encountered Qi Chengyan and had felt a surge of arrogance.
After bringing his mother home, he learned that Qi Chengyan and his wife were rather unfeeling and wouldn't even let his son have a seat.
When his mother asked who Qi Chengyan was, he harbored malice and, after a couple of drinks, couldn't help but thoroughly denigrate Qi Chengyan.
He had felt incredibly pleased at the time, thinking it was within the family and that no one else would ever know.
He never expected that such an act could bring disaster upon him.
Shen Tong asked, "Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang, these people are eyewitnesses who heard your mother say these things with their own ears. Do you admit that these words were spoken by you?"
Zhang Fuqiang naturally denied it. "How could I possibly say such things? As soldiers, I wouldn't gossip behind someone's back. Capable people prove themselves on the battlefield."
The elder Mrs. Zhang chimed in, "That's right, that's right, I never said such things! No, it's not that I didn't say them, it's that I didn't say these words were told to me by my son!"
The three other military wives who had accompanied them were indignant. "So you mean we're lying? That this young woman and her husband are lying, and we're all lying, and only you, an old woman, are telling the truth?"
The elder Mrs. Zhang was filled with regret and slapped her own face.
"It's all my fault, I didn't control my mouth. Please don't blame my son, it has nothing to do with him!"
With the elder Mrs. Zhang saying this, it was no different from a confession.
Yang Shucai looked coldly at Zhang Fuqiang. A deputy regiment commander actually lying to the Disciplinary Committee.
He was truly going backward in his old age!
"Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang, do you have anything else to say?"
Zhang Fuqiang, capable of bending and stretching, quickly changed his attitude.
"I suddenly remembered, I had a couple of drinks earlier and wasn't thinking clearly. When my mother asked about it, I spoke, but absolutely without any prejudice or malice." He slapped himself on the face. "Chengyan, please don't hold it against me, I just spoke casually."
Qi Chengyan's eyes were calm, and he said nothing.
Cheng You asked, "Secretary Yang, the situation is almost clear. How should it be handled?"
Secretary Yang said, "A small disciplinary measure. Ask Deputy Regiment Commander Zhang to write a five-thousand-word report."
As for the elder Mrs. Zhang, there was nothing that could be done.
Punishing her son would teach her a lesson.
She nodded, somewhat satisfied with the outcome.
"Thank you, Secretary Yang, thank you, Comrade Shen Tong, and thank you to these three enthusiastic and helpful wives. I will personally visit to express my gratitude later."
The three military wives, thinking of the potential benefits, smiled broadly.
"It's a small matter, as long as everything is fine."
Qi Chengyan nodded slightly. "Uncle Yang, we'll be going back now."
Yang Shucai patted his shoulder and walked out with him.
"I only recently heard your leg had healed. I never knew which divine doctor cured it?"
The army had plenty of people like Qi Chengyan who suffered from sequelae.
Once injured, they either retired or transferred, unable to return to the battlefield.
For soldiers who had trained for years, this was undoubtedly the most cruel fate.
If it could be resolved, it would be equivalent to solving a major concern for the military.
Qi Chengyan shook his head. "This cannot be revealed for now. I need to go back and ask if she is willing to have it known."
Yang Shucai nodded repeatedly. "Good, good, good. Please ask that old divine doctor for me. Remember to tell me if you get an answer."
He was also acting on behalf of others and needed to report back promptly.
Cheng You, holding Qi Chengyan's hand, walked out. "Why didn't you tell him directly?"
Qi Chengyan said, "That would be too easy for them."
Things obtained too easily are not cherished.
Cheng You giggled. "You're so wicked. And yet you're still being bullied here."
Qi Chengyan squeezed her palm, brought it to his lips, and kissed her fingertips.
"They didn't bully me, really, Youyou."
Cheng You hummed. "I hope not."
Clearly, her definition of "bullying" was different from Qi Chengyan's.
Any slight grievance was considered bullying, but he didn't consider such "grievances" worth his attention.
Or rather, he felt it was not worth expending his energy on such matters.
It was precisely because of this that Cheng You felt even more distressed.
Since his grandmother passed away, no one had protected him.
Qi Chengyan accompanied her to buy groceries, cook, and eat, attending to every detail himself.
After a meal, he had to return to the military.
Cheng You had grown accustomed to it and waved her hand.
"Go ahead, I have school tomorrow anyway."
They had so much to talk about, and he hadn't had a chance to ask about her school life.
"Is anyone bullying you at school?"
Cheng You chuckled. "As for textbook knowledge, I've already mastered it with Uncle Li. Good students are never bullied."
The restoration of the college entrance examination was to supply talent for the country.
Students with good grades were more popular at school.
Qi Chengyan looked at her smug little expression with delight, leaned down, and kissed her forehead.
"Stay well at home. I'm leaving?"
Cheng You nodded. "Go. If anyone beats you up, beat them back. At worst, you can come back, and I'll support you."
Qi Chengyan's smile grew brighter. "Okay, you'll support me."
He adjusted his collar. He didn't want her to see him off at the door, so he walked out himself.
Every time he left, Cheng You would find something to do for herself.
Otherwise, she would feel very empty.
As soon as he left, Cheng You locked the door and strolled to the agricultural research institute.
Following Zhao Jisheng, she could still learn a lot about medicinal herb cultivation.
"Hey, this is the first time we've been so in sync. I was just thinking of looking for you."
Cheng You asked with a smile, "Did more seeds arrive?"
"Not yet. There's just something that's been brought to my attention."
Cheng You listened intently.
"It's about A'yan's leg. Everyone knows he injured his leg before and saw famous doctors all over Yancheng, all of whom said the leg was ruined. But now it's healed, with no apparent sequelae."
Cheng You was taken aback. "Professor, who asked you?"
"People from the military." He pointed upwards. "You're too high-profile, many people in higher positions are keeping an eye on you."
He had actually guessed it was Cheng You but hadn't stated it directly.
Instead, he wanted to ask for Cheng You's opinion. If she wanted to keep it a secret, he wouldn't say anything.